Update: Setting Up a Canon 1DX using firmware 2.0.3

Canon recently announced a major upgrade to the firmware for the 1DX professional camera body. This included a number of new features that added not only to improved AF performance but also gives the user a number of additional and more flexible operating parameters and options.

These are the settings for my 1DX after the release of firmware 2.0.3

Menus

Item/Function/Mode

C1

C2

C3

Variable/

(Unsaved)

L/Scapes

Action

I

Action

II

General

Shooting Mode

Av

M

M

Av

Metering Mode

Evaluative

Evaluative

Evaluative

Evaluative

AF Mode

One Shot

AI Servo

AI Servo

AI Servo

Drive Mode

Single

H

H

H

ISO Settings (Red #2)*

Speed

200

400

Auto

200

Range

50-3200

50-25600

50-51200

50-6400

Auto ISO Range

n/a

n/a

200-3200

n/a

Min.shutter speed

n/a

n/a

1/500

n/a

Menus

Red#1

WB

AWB

AWB

AWB

AWB

Set Custom WB

–

–

–

–

WB Shift/Bkt.

–

–

–

Color Space

AdobeRGB

AdobeRGB

AdobeRGB

AdobeRGB

Picture Style

3,-1,0,0

3,-2,0,0

3,-2,0,0

3,-1,0,0

Lens Aberration Correction

Disabled

Disabled

Disabled

Disabled

Multiple Exposure

Disabled

Disabled

Disabled

Disabled

Red#2

Jpeg quality

n/a(L,10)

n/a(L,10)

n/a(L,10)

n/a(L,10)

Image type/Size

RAW

RAW

RAW

RAW

Autolighting Optimiser

OFF

OFF

OFF

OFF

Long Exp. Noise Reduction

OFF

OFF

OFF

OFF

High ISO Speed NR

OFF

OFF

OFF

OFF

Highlight Tone Priority*

OFF

OFF

OFF

OFF

Red#3

Image Review

8 sec.

8 sec.

8 sec.

8 sec.

Beep

Enable

Enable

Enable

Enable

Release Shutter w/out card

OFF

OFF

OFF

OFF

Mirror Lock Up*

OFF

OFF

OFF

OFF

Dust Delete Data

–

–

–

–

External Speedlite Control

Flash Firing

Enable

Enable

Enable

Enable

E-TTL II Metering

Enable

Enable

Enable

Enable

Flash Sync. In Av Mode

Auto

Auto

Auto

Auto

Red#4

LV Stills/Movie Set*

Stills

Stills

Stills

Stills

AF Mode

Live Mode

Live Mode

Live Mode

Live Mode

Grid Display

OFF

OFF

OFF

OFF

Exposure Simulation

Enable

Enable

Enable

Enable

Silent LV Shoot

Mode 1

Mode 1

Mode 1

Mode 1

Metering Time

4 sec.

4 sec.

4sec.

4sec.

AF #1

AF Case (0, 0, 0)

Case 1

Case 3

Case 3

Case 3

Case 3 reconfig. to -2, +2, +2

AF #2

AI Servo 1st Image Priority

n/a

Focus

Focus

Focus

AI Servo 2nd Image Priority*

n/a

+2

+2

+2

AF#3

USM lens electronic MF

Enable

n/a

n/a

n/a

AF-assist beam firing

ON

ON

ON

ON

One-Shot AF release priority

Focus

n/a

n/a

n/a

AF#4

Auto AF pt.sel.: EOS iTR AF

OFF

OFF

OFF

OFF

Lens drive when AF imposs.

ON

ON

ON

ON

Selectable AF point

61 pt.

61 pt.

61 pt.

61 pt.

Select AF area selec. Mode

All excl. zone

Spot,5pt., zone excl.

Spot,5pt., zone excl.

ALL selected

AF area selection method

M-Fn

M-Fn

M-Fn

M-Fn

Orientation linked AF point

Sep. AF pt: pt only

Sep. AF pt: pt only

Sep. AF pt: pt only

Sep. AF pt: pt only

Initial AF pt.,,AI Servo AF

n/a

Initial pt.

Initial pt.

Initial pt.

AF#5

Manual AF pt. selec. Pattern

Contin.

Contin.

Contin.

Contin.

AF pt. display during focus

All(const.)

All(const)

All(const)

All(const.)

VF display illumination

ON

ON

ON

ON

AF status in viewfinder

Outside

Outside

Outside

Outside

AF Microadjustment

ON

ON

ON

ON

Blue#3

Highlight alert

Enable

Enable

Enable

Enable

AF point display

Enable

Enable

Enable

Enable

Playback grid

OFF

OFF

OFF

OFF

Histogram display

RGB

RGB

RGB

RGB

Movie play count

Rec time

Rec time

Rec time

Rec time

Magnification

1x

1x

1x

1x

Control over HDMI

Disable

Disable

Disable

Disable

Tools#1

Record func+card/folder sel.

Standard

Standard

Standard

Standard

File numbering

Cont.

Cont.

Cont.

Cont.

File name

Preset

Preset

Preset

Preset

Auto rotate

Computer

Computer

Computer

Computer

Format card*

Tools#2

Auto.power off

15 min.

15 min.

15 min.

15 min.

LCD Brightness

6

6

6

6

Date/Time/Zone

Language

English

English

English

English

VF Grid display

Disable

Disable

Disable

Disable

INFO.button display options

Elec.level

Elec.level

Elec.level

Elec.level

Tools#3

Video System

PAL

PAL

PAL

PAL

Battery Info

Sensor Cleaning

Communication settings

Disable

Disable

Disable

Disable

GPS device settings

Disable

Disable

Disable

Disable

Tools#4

Save/load cam. sett. on card

Custom shooting modes

C1,2,3 set

C1,2,3 set

C1,2,3 set

C1,2,3 set

Clear all camera settings

Copyright information

System display status

Firmware version

2.0.3

2.0.3

2.0.3

2.0.3

CUSTOM FUNCTIONS

C.Fn1:Exposure

Exposure increment levels

1/3

1/3

1/3

1/3

ISO speed setting increments

1/3

1/3

1/3

1/3

Bracketing auto cancel

ON

ON

ON

ON

Bracketing sequence

0 – +

0 – +

0 – +

0 – +

Number of bracketed shots

5

5

5

5

Spot meter. Linked to AF point

Active

Active

Active

Active

Safety shift

OFF

OFF

OFF

Tv/Av

C.Fn2:Exposure

Restrict Shooting Modes

n/a

n/a

n/a

All active

Restrict metering modes

Eval. only

Eval. only

Eval. only

Eval. only

Metering used in manual exp.

Eval.

Eval.

Eval.

Eval.

Set Shutter speed range

Default

Default

Default

Default

Set Aperture range

Default

Default

Default

Default

AE Microadjustment

OFF

OFF

OFF

OFF

FE Microadjustment

OFF

OFF

OFF

OFF

C.Fn3:Drive

Continuous shooting speed

12

12

12

12

Limit continuous shot count

Disable

Disable

Disable

Disable

Restrict drive modes

14 H

OFF

Only, H, L

enabled

Only H,L,H14

All active

C.Fn4:Display/Operations

Focusing Screen

Standard

Standard

Standard

Standard

Viewfinder info.during exp.

OFF

OFF

OFF

OFF

LCD panel illum. during bulb

OFF

OFF

OFF

OFF

Rec. card img. Size setting

LCD Mon.

LCD Mon.

LCD Mon.

LCD Mon.

C.Fn5:Operations

Dial direction during Av/Tv

Normal

Normal

Normal

Normal

Av setting without lens

OFF

OFF

OFF

OFF

Multi function lock

Quick Cntl

Quick Cntl

Quick Cntl

Quick Cntl

Custom Controls

See below

See below

See below

See below

“key/microphone” button fn.

Rec.memo

Rec.mem

Rec.mem

Rec.memo

CUSTOM CONTROLS (C.Fn 5 )

See above

Shutter button

Metering

Metering

Metering

Metering

AF-ON

AE Lock

Metering and AF Start

Metering and AF Start

AE Lock

*

Metering and AF Start

Metering and AF Start

Metering and AF Start

Metering and AF Start

DOF button

Switch to reg. AF pt.

Switch to reg. AF pt.

Switch to reg. AF pt.

Switch to reg. AF pt.

Lens

OShot=AI

OShot=AI

OShot=AI

OShot=AI

M-Fn

Switch to Custom Shooting Mode

Switch to Custom Shooting Mode

Switch to Custom Shooting Mode

Switch to Custom Shooting Mode

M-Fn2See AF settings below

Switch to reg. AF function

Switch to reg. AF function

Switch to reg. AF function

Switch to reg. AF function

SET

Magnify

Exp.comp

Exp.comp

Exp.comp

Main Dial

Tv

Tv

Tv

Tv

Quick Control Dial

Aperture

Aperture

Aperture

Aperture

Toggle

AF pt. sel.

AF pt. sel.

AF pt. sel.

AF pt. sel.

AF-ON button AF settings

AF Start point

Sel. AF pt

Sel.AF pt.

AI Servo AF characteristics

Maintain

Maintain

AF Mode

AI Servo

AI Servo

14fps super high speed

OFF

Enable

* Button AF settings

AF Start point

Sel.AF pt

Sel.AF pt

Sel.Af pt.

Sel. AF pt.

AI Servo AF characteristics

Case 1

Case 3

Case 3

Maintain

AF Mode

Maintain

AI Servo

AI Servo

Maintain

14fps super high speed

OFF

OFF

OFF

OFF

C.Fn6:Others

Add cropping information

OFF

OFF

OFF

OFF

Timer duration

6 sec.

6 sec.

6 sec.

6 sec.

Sutter release time lag

Short.

Short.

Short.

Short.

Memo audio quality

48kHz

48kHz

48kHz

48kHz

Default erase option

Same exp. for new aperture

Tv

Tv

Tv

Tv

MY MENU

Mirror Lock up

LV Stills/Movie Set

ISO speed settings

AI Servo 2nd image priority

Highlight tone priority

Format card

M-Fn2 button AF settings

AF Area selection mode

9 pt. surround

9 pt. surround

9 pt. surround

9 pt. surround

Tracking sensitivity

-1

-1

-1

-1

Acceleration/De-cel.

+1

+1

+1

+1

AF point switching

0

0

0

0

AI Servo 1st image priority

Focus

Focus

Focus

Focus

AI Servo 2nd image priority

+1

+1

+1

+1

NOTES:

Remember that when camera is switched off and then on again, settings revert to the above for C1, C2, C3. The Variable/Unsaved setting remains at the settings when the camera was switched off.

All settings can be saved to a CF card and the camera restored if necessary.

Be careful with the M-Fn button. When this is pushed the camera cycles between C1, C2, C3 and “Variable” settings. If you want to change AF area selection mode the AF point selection button must be pushed first before you cycle through the focus modes with the M-Fn button. NB!! Otherwise you cycle through C1, C2 and C3!

About the Author

3 Comments

Best thing I did was look at Johns web site, his information on the Canon EOS 1DX was so helpful, although I do a lot of Landscape images, I also do Racehorse Photography and Johns settings have helped enormously.